75 Indian Students Win Erasmus Mundus Scholarships For 2026-28; EU Launches India Student Ambassador Network

Seventy-five Indian students have been selected for the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) scholarships for the 2026-28 academic cycle, reaffirming India's strong presence in one of Europe's most competitive higher education programmes.

The announcement was made by the European Union, which also unveiled a new EU-India Student Ambassadors' Network aimed at expanding awareness about educational opportunities in Europe and strengthening academic ties between the two regions.

The scholarship recipients were felicitated at a pre-departure event organised by the Delegation of the European Union to India in New Delhi, where selected students, alumni, diplomats from EU member states and education experts gathered ahead of the scholars' departure for Europe.

India remains a leading Erasmus+ partner

With 75 students selected this year, India continues to be the largest beneficiary of Erasmus Mundus scholarships since the programme began awarding grants to Indian students in 2004. The country also ranks among the top three recipients globally in the 2026 intake.

The latest figures underline the growing interest among Indian students in pursuing higher education in Europe. According to the EU, nearly one lakh Indian students are currently enrolled in universities and higher education institutions across European countries.

Over the past two decades, more than 7,500 Erasmus+ scholarships and over 2,500 joint master's degrees have been awarded to Indian nationals.

Students to study across 15 european countries

The selected scholars will pursue master's programmes at universities spread across 15 European countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Netherlands.

Their courses cover a wide range of emerging and interdisciplinary fields such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, smart urban development, vaccinology, gender studies, humanities and social sciences.

Officials noted that the 2026 cohort continues the programme's trend of near-equal gender representation, reflecting growing participation from women in international higher education programmes.

New student ambassador network launched

Alongside the scholarship announcement, the European Union launched the EU-India Student Ambassadors' Network, bringing together 40 student ambassadors from 20 universities located across 14 states and union territories.

The initiative aims to create a peer-led platform through which students can share information about European academic programmes, research collaborations and exchange opportunities with fellow learners across India.

The ambassadors represent a diverse mix of institutions, including premier centres such as Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Indian Institute of Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Delhi and University of Mumbai.

Students from regional institutions such as Panjab University and Gauhati University are also part of the network, highlighting the programme's growing reach beyond metropolitan centres.

Building stronger academic ties

Speaking on the occasion, Hervé Delphin said the Erasmus Mundus programme offers students access not only to world-class education but also to international academic and professional networks.

He described the newly appointed student ambassadors as future leaders who would play an important role in fostering educational and cultural exchanges between India and Europe.

According to the EU, education, research and youth mobility have become key pillars of the India-European Union partnership, which has expanded significantly over the past several decades.

Beyond student mobility, Erasmus+ has also supported collaborations between Indian and European universities. Since 2021, the programme has backed 16 Capacity Building in Higher Education projects involving Indian institutions and 17 Jean Monnet Action projects recognising excellence in European Studies among Indian academics.

Launched in 1987, Erasmus+ is the European Union's flagship programme for education, training, youth and sports exchanges. The current phase of the programme, running from 2021 to 2027, has a budget of €26.2 billion, making it one of the world's largest international academic mobility initiatives.

Published on: Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 05:20 PM IST